


A broken Sanctuary

by Crazy_luna



Series: Owari Magica [66]
Category: Owari Magica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:54:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26819890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazy_luna/pseuds/Crazy_luna
Summary: The twin's find the work Aeron had done to the sanctuary. After everything that happened this might be one of the hardest thing for the pair
Series: Owari Magica [66]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815574





	A broken Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> Points:  
> IllegalSympathy 1923 words | 1910 points  
> cockabeetle 2148 words | 2125 points  
> ice-ice-bunny 2265 words | 2230 points

Order: Vondila/Salem, Vanessa, Mariana, Percy  
Vondila smiled at her twin as they left their favourite cafe and someone’s favorite  
barista behind. “So that's the girl?” She teased. “I must say didn’t think you would go  
for a cute barista.”  
Salem glared at her twin. “Haha.” She said flatly. “At least I have a love life.” She  
suck her tongue out at Vondila and started walking towards the beach. She had a list  
of things to do today. Add to the records about the new kid, Aeron, and finally write  
out the recipe for revival dust. She also had an idea for a new type of sheild so she’ll  
see if there’s anything useful from the past or if she was going to have to make it  
from scratch.  
Vondila followed her twin drinking her coffee. Her mind mulling over her spare with  
Percy, she didn’t hurt from it but she still didn’t like how she was dealing with her  
cards. Next witch she would try and focus on only using her cards in hopes of getting  
better at fighting with one arm. Once her feet reached the sand she looked around to  
see if anyone was there. No one. It was spring and early so the beach would be  
mostly clear. She saw a few runners going away from them. “Salem, anything I can  
help with?” She needed to know if she can help her twin.  
Salem was pulled out from her thoughts by her twin’s voice. “Anything you can help  
with?” She wasn’t sure there was nothing to enchant today but she could get her twin  
to write for her well she does research. “Yeah there's stuff you can do.” She made  
her way across the beach towards the cliffs that held the sanctuary.  
Vondila chugged the last of her coffee and dropped the empty cup into a bin and  
started running to the sanctuary. She needed to keep fit even if she was missing part  
of herself now. She reached the front of the sanctuary and waited for her twin.  
Salem watched at Vondila ran past her to the sanctuary. How does she have so  
much energy? She does eat a lot now and she did just down a cup of coffee. She  
shook her head and followed at her own pace. Once she reached her twin she  
laughed. “Was that what you needed?” She teased.  
Vondila rolled her eye. “Oh shut it.” She walked up to the door and opened it for her  
twin. “Non-magi first.” She bowed a bit.  
Salem rolled her eyes at her twin and walked in. Something felt off, the light strip that  
was activated by magi was blue and it smelled like chemicals. She turned on the  
lights and dropped her cup of coffee in shock. Everything was torn apart. Five years  
of work gone. All she could do was stare at everything.  
Vondila followed her twin in and was taken aback by the mess she saw. She knew  
who had done this. Belladona. “That bitch!” She cried out and transformed out of  
instinct more than anything. She clutched her wand and walked further in to see how  
much had been touched and if the culprit was still there. She saw how the store was  
torn apart and everything was damaged. No longer usable. Walking over to the  
grave yard she looked in and turned on the light. Everything was fine, it wasn’t  
touched. “Okay one thing.” She moved further back and checked the bathrooms,  
they were messy but not as bad and the hot springs was left untouched. She shook  
as she came back to the main room. Belladona would pay for this.  
Salem watched her twin check the rest of the space to see how bad everything was.  
Her eyes landed on the TV, it being broken wasn’t the most shocking thing to her but  
the paper on it was. She walked over and looked at the note. A butterfly was  
Vanessa, the triangle was Avril, Star could be Chara and Ophelia, the moon was  
Eva, the circle could be Percy or Sierra, and the horseshoe was Chance. The queen  
of spades though mocked her. It was Vondila. Was part of Belladona’s plan to cause  
everyone else to despair and then Von? She couldn’t take this. She didn’t move  
when she heard her twin come back in.  
“Salem?” Vondila called out and looked at the note. She gritted her teeth and fired at  
the wall. “Fuck her! How dare she do this. She knows better than this.” She threw her  
wand but dropped her transformation tears pooling in her good eye.  
Salem was pulled out of her thoughts with a start. She saw her twin was out of her  
transformation and wasn’t doing so good. Looking around she realized she wouldn’t  
be able to clean this on her own. “Von?” She asked softly.  
Vondila turned to her sister. “What is it?”  
“You need to get the others.” Salem said softly and sat her hand on her twin’s  
shoulder.  
Vondila pulled away from her twin and rubbed her eye. “It’s okay we got this.” She  
crouched down and started picking up the glass.  
Salem watched as her twin struggled. “Von come on.”  
Vondila had a handful of glass. “It's okay.” Blood started to blossom in her hand from  
the cuts.  
“Vonidla Morson!” Salem yelled.  
Vondila dropped the glass and looked at her twin.  
“Go outside and contact the others. You aren’t able to help.” Salem yelled not caring  
if she hurt her twin.  
Vondila got up and walked out shaking. She couldn’t believe Salem yelled at her.  
Once outside she leaned on the cliff wall and tried to stop the shaking. Tears started  
to fall. She was so weak wasn’t she.  
Salem watched her twin leave and sighed. She felt bad but knew she had to yell at  
her twin to get her to leave. She walked over to where her store was and found a  
pair of gloves. Slipping them on she started to dig in the mess for anything that was  
still useful.  
Vondila stood outside the sanctuary dictating a mass text to Vanessa, Mariana, and  
Percy. "Hey big problem at the sanctuary I need you all to come down here right  
now." She passed back and forth looking at her phone. Once is was ready she sent  
it. Chewing her lip she thought over sending out a to everyone else that the  
sanctuary was closed today. "Fuck it." She grumbled and get her phone to start  
dictating another text. "Sanctuary closed for today. If you need anything please text  
myself or Salem first and we will meet you outside with it." She picked out the  
remaining magi and hit send. She leaned on the rock wall and waited to hear from  
everyone. How could Belladona do that? She knows this is a neutral place. She was  
all messed up by this.  
Salem was hand gloves on as she looked for the valuables that were in the shop. All  
grief seeds were needing to be found and some her personal things she left there.  
Tears slid down her face as she looked. She worked so hard for this place and in  
one night Belladona destroyed all her hard work. Why? She avoided the broken  
tubes of poison mixed with potions and other things. She had a stock that was huge  
and it was all gone now. She would need to be spending weeks remaking  
everything. She pulled out a frame that was broken apart. The picture was her and  
Vondila with their parents. She had left it here after she hid from the Walpurgisnacht.  
She hugged the picture closely and cried out.  
Vanessa was packing her bags when her phone buzzed to life, an emergency at the  
Sanctuary? Calling out to Ana she typed a quick response; Be there soon.  
Everything ok? Before calling a cab to get her to the beach.  
-  
Once there, Vanessa dashed across the sand towards the familiar building, seeing  
Vondila sitting despondent on the steps caused her heart to lurch, did something  
happen to Salem? Had the found Avril? What happened?  
"Von! We're here" she called out.  
Mariana had been doing homework to destress when she heard Nessa's yell and got  
the text from Von. After a few seconds of finishing up the sentence she was on, she  
grabs a bag and heads out with a worried 'I'll be there. What's wrong??'  
She called out to Nessa, but it seemed like she was already gone... well, she  
guesses she can walk, it might take her a while to get to the beach, now, then.  
The text came while Percy was lounging at the park, music in and ice cream half  
eaten. There was a sprinkling of pop rocks on top of superman ice cream, he could  
not be faulted for taking his time with it. But then he sees the words. Problem? It'd  
been three days since the kiss, almost a week since the fight with Ana. What had  
happened? He stuffs his phone in his pocket and dumps the ice cream in the trash  
as he heads for the sanctuary at a jog, stomach turning at the thought. He makes it  
there in record time, and the first thing he does kneel down in the sand to catch his  
breath, yanking his hoodie over his head. Being sweaty was so gross but atleast he  
was here with the girls.  
"M-made it. Hah, what's wrong?"  
Vondila looked up at Vanessa and close behind Percy. She looked like she aged  
about ten years since she had last seen them all. She felt like it too. "She was here  
last night." Saying it outloud was causing her to shake. "She destroyed everything.  
All that left is a few grief seeds, we think and a note." The queen of spades was  
etched into her mind. Her hand shook. "I can't help much to clean up." She didn't  
look at them she felt so weak at that moment. "Salem started already, she wouldn't  
wait for you guys." She looked at the door knowing her twin was in there dealing with  
her hard work all gone.  
Salem took the photo and gentaly folded it and slipped it her pocket. She had just  
done inverntory and made more items. Anything that was in glass was gone and the  
store room was torn apart. What was she going to do? This will take her days to  
clean and remake everything. Vondila can't enchant enough in that time frame. She  
had taken notice that the grave yard was left alone but she didn't dare go back to the  
bathrooms and hot spring. Everything would need to be replaced at this rate.  
"She trashed the place"?! Vanessa cried out, aghast. In spite of everything, the  
Sanctuary had been a comforting place for the team to gather, the idea of it in ruins  
made her heart sink. Swallowing thickly, she knelt down in front of Vondila.  
"H-how're you holding up? Is there anything you or Salem need right now"? She  
placed a firm and reassuring hand on Von's arm.  
Mariana jogged up the beach as she finally made it, a little out of breath but  
otherwise fine, and stopped next to Percy. She whispers at him, glancing at Ness  
and Von with worry.  
"What's happening, Percitito?"  
Percy left his hoodie in a sweaty bundle on the sand, running one of his hands  
through his hair to steady himself. The only thought on his mind was Salem, and the  
times he'd helped her, and the conversations they'd had. He glanced at Ana, wiping  
both his hands on his cargo shorts. "Something happened to the Sanctuary. I'm  
going in to help Salem pick up, come in when you're ready." He couldn't bring a  
smile to his lips, let alone his eyes, so he didn't even try. He squeezed Von's  
shoulder to reassure her as he passed, taking in the damage as his eyes adjusted.  
Vondila looked at Vanessa. "We need help cleaning up." She grabbed her nub of an  
arm. "I can't do much." She said softly trying to stop the shaking. "And we need to  
hold that meeting once we got new tables and chairs." She didn't understand why  
this was happening right now she was so shaken up by everything. "I just need to sit  
here for a bit longer." She needed to be alone.  
Salem was moving things out of the way to find the grief seeds when she heard the  
door open. "Von I'll tell you when-" She started to snap but stopped when she saw  
Percy. "Percy your here! Thank goodness." Her voice shook. "Is Ana and Nessa  
here? I need as many hands as I can get. There's so much to throw away. Her eyes  
avoided the TV were the note had been stuck. She couldn't look at it anymore.  
Jaw clenched tight in concern, Vanessa gave a reluctant nod and another tight  
squeeze before standing up straight and looking at Ana, this whole thing was a  
mess.  
"I'm gonna head on in, but we're all here if you need us" She the first half she said to  
Ana the second to Von.  
Mariana nodded at Percy and then the others, stomach churning in distress at what  
she's heard. She steps up to Von and reaches out to touch her shoulder, before  
deciding against it and heading inside. Von probably didn't want to be touched.  
The blue light lining the walls was a surprise, Ana couldn't help glancing around to try  
and spot some reason for it to have changed from the customary green. The  
destruction was terrible, but Ana was trying to keep her head on straight.  
"I can check the back rooms and see what all needs to be repaired back there, while  
you two help Salem with cleaning up the front?"  
Percy had just been in here the other day. He had just helped fill the daggers and  
balm containers scattered about. He felt lightheaded from- confusion, anger. It was  
unsettling. The chairs were smashed and the tables were tuned on their sides,  
supplies scattered everywhere. He couldn't put his head around it. Bella wouldn't  
have done this, would she? She would have more respect for Salem, right? He  
bends down to pick up a box that had been turned on its side, the ring on his  
necklace bumping the spot on the wall and turning it from the eerie blue to green.  
But not the usual green... His green. A darker green. It snapped together like puzzle  
pieces in his head. Blue magi.... blue magi... did they even have one of those?  
"We're here, Salem. We've got this. Breathe, okay, and just... Tell us what to do."  
Vondila watched as they entered being alone was maybe not the right thing but she  
was in the way other wise. She pulled her knees up to chest and started to cry. She  
needed to stop Belladona if it was the last thing she did.  
Salem nodded at Ana and looked at the other two magi. "We need garbage bags.  
There's some in the store room but be careful there are chemical spills. I don't have  
any more healing products to help with it." She looked at her destroyed stock. It was  
mixed with poison it was useless. "Some needs to find all the explosives and take  
them outside to Von she can deal with those." She knew her sister would feel better  
to set of the explosives. It wasn't safe to keep them anymore. If the seals were  
damaged they would explode. "And be careful around the shop area there's poison  
everywhere." She warned.  
Vanessa nodded, taking in the Sanctuary's new appearance, the blue mood lighting  
was unexpected, some sort of feature to let the Magi know something was wrong?  
Who knew?  
"Any idea when this happened"? She asked as she picked her way through  
splintered furniture and shattered glass towards the back for the bags. If anyone was  
going to be risking chemical burns it was going to be her. The smell of the chemicals  
and witch dust cloyed at the air and made her gag ever so slightly.  
Ana's mind whirled into overdrive as the blue faded into Percy's green. A magi's soul  
gem changed the color. So who had a blue gem?  
As she headed toward the bathrooms, Ana remembered a tall new kid she'd given  
SweetTarts to, who hadn't seemed interested in talking to her. She didn't know  
anything about them... but why would they have been to the Sanctuary after  
Belladona destroyed it? Wouldn't it have made more sense for Bella to change the  
green to her own red? But if she were going to wreck the place... why leave  
everything heaped around? Shouldn't she have taken healing items and explosives  
and anything of use before wrecking what was left?  
And why would the new kid not say anything, if they did show up after all of this  
destruction? It sounded like the Morsons had discovered it on their own. This wasn't  
making sense...  
The bathrooms had a few bottles of soap and towels thrown around, but nothing was  
actually destroyed, save a soap bottle Ana herself stepped on while looking around.  
Weird.  
Percy focused on getting the big stuff out of the way, not minding the wreckage. He  
stepped over the poison and got a few boxes in the clear spot next to the TV. He  
glanced at the note taped there too, frowning. The handwriting wasn't right. The  
symbols weren't right, and some were missing. It almost looked like the one in  
Sierra's teal was supposed to be his symbol, and his own, Ophelia's, and Ana's were  
all missing. This seriously wasn't adding up at all. "Is it safe to sweep up the glass  
before we mop up the poison?" He asked over his shoulder, still looking at the note.  
Vondila let her tears shake her body. The place that was her second home was  
damaged and she was to weak to do anything about it. She pulled out her soul gem  
from her hair and put it around her wrist and started to undo the braid that Salem had  
put in two days ago.  
Salem looked up and noticed the green light. To dark to be Von. "Percy did you  
touch the light strip?" She asked looking at it. "It was blue right?" She wasn't sure  
anymore. Eveything else took priority over some dumb light but now it seemed  
important. "And yeah we need to clean up the glass before the liquid." She had a  
small pile next to her of glass shards and was grabbing more. "Also find grief seeds  
quickly I don't want any to re-hatch." She added on still digging in the mess that was  
her store. She found one grief seed and set it to the side. It wasn't glowing so it was  
safe, for now.  
Gingerly sifting through boxes and broken bits, Vaness found the bags alongside  
some gloves, not enough pairs for everyone but she'll do without. Shaking some  
chemicals of off her hands, Vanessa opened up one bag with a flourish.  
"Does anyone need any gloves"? She offered, unsure just how useful they'd be with  
all the glass and poisons.  
Mariana grabbed a trashcan from one of the bathrooms, and scooped the broken  
soap into it with a little grumbling to herself. A towel was sacrificed to mop up the  
liquid soap, and then the rest of the mess was simply straightened out with a few  
minutes of guesswork on where things were supposed to go.  
Ana poked her head into the hot springs, expecting the worst, and found... no  
damage. They looked untouched. She stood in the doorway and stared for a  
moment.  
Percy took a pair of gloves, then bumped Nessa's hips with his own. "Oi. Don't forget  
yourself. Put a pair on." He'd been looking out for her since day 1, he didn't want her  
to hurt herself unnecessarily. She did it during battles, he didn't doubt she's try it  
now. He didn't push it either, though, going back to moving the bigger boxes. They'd  
go through them after the glass and poison was taken care of, he was more worried  
about the bulk of mess.  
Salem looked up and saw Vanessa with the gloves and bags. "I have some." She  
showed her hands, needed to move the fallen counter. "Can someone help me with  
the counter? I need to get back there." She wanted to see if she could find a grief  
seed case to put the lose grief seeds in and they were stored in the drawers.  
"Any sign of on of Bella's cryptic 'Messages' this time around, or is this to show she's  
skipping subtlety"? She asked no one in particular, slipping on the gloves, Vanessa  
went to help Salem with the counter.  
"On three, alright"?  
Ana came back to the front, still carrying the trashcan, feeling kind of lost.  
"Hey, how bad is it, out here? The bathrooms were just kinda easy to pick up, and  
nobody touched the Hot Springs..." Ana trailed off, leaning on the wall and watching  
as the dark green bled to her own pink as her left hand brushed the wall. How had  
she never noticed this before?  
Percy's heart sank as he saw the wall strip change again. That sold it. He had to talk  
to Bella and find out what the hell happened. "There's a note on the TV, Nessa. And,  
well, I'm moving the big stuff. Ana, could you grab a broom and sweep up all the  
glass? After the big stuff is out of the way, I want to mop before we work on sorting  
through what's left." He hoped his plan made sense. Move the big pieces, clean  
enough that it was safe, and then finish.  
Salem nodded to Vanessa. "On three." She confirmed. "One." She got a good grip of  
the counter. "Two." She braced herself. "Threeee!" She pulled at the counter. Once it  
was up right she moved behind it and started digging to get to the right drawer.  
"Come on there has to be one in here." She muttered to herself. She took no notice  
of the now pink light. "Haha!" She got to the drawer and opened it. There was a black  
box. She opened it and it was empty like she knew it was. There was foam in it with  
wholes shaped like grief seeds. She stood up and sat it on the counter. "If you find a  
grief seed put in here." She picked up the one she had found and put it in the box.  
"Got it" Vanessa nodded, looking over the box and picking through the cabinet for  
anything else salvageable before noticing the new pink lighting. Had the Sanctuary  
always been able to do that?  
"Wait, so that blue light. Was that a magi"? She noted looking at Ana, he source of  
the new colours.  
Mariana nodded.  
"I've only met one who has a blue gem, in the city. But they're so new, why wouldn't  
they have called if they saw all of this...?" Ana walked over to grab a broom, eyes  
catching on the note and stopping short.  
"Salem, why does the Queen of Spades look more like you?"  
Percy's frown grew deeper. This was... too much. He moved the tables over, the  
broken chairs, anything big and bulky that he could put in the one clean area. His  
throat felt tight. Things had been going so well. He and Bella kissed, and things were  
getting better. He had plans and was excited for the future for the first time in a long  
time. He needed to have a talk with Bella, see what the hell was going on.  
Salem looked at the light. "Yeah any magi or soul gem that touches that strip it  
changes colour to. It's been Von's green for a long time." She started to pick up glass  
again. "I don't know Von and I were born identical if we didn't have Vitiligo we would  
be the same." There was so much broken glass. She didn't like that the light was  
blue. Why hadn't Aeron texted her about this?  
The blue magi, Ana had told her about them in passing, but neither girl had really  
given them much mind. Ana hadn't even really gotten their name. Was it too far a  
stretch to think that Belladonna had started recruiting her own team to combat  
theirs? Or was this just a lone wolf, fighting for territory? Picking her way through the  
cabinet, she found one Grief seed that went into the box, and a lot of broken shards  
of a few. They couldn't hatch like that, right?  
"Hey, Sal? What happens when you break a grief seed"? It wasn't going to like,  
cause a witchspolsion was it?  
Mariana took a breath.  
"Someone who's met Von, though... they wouldn't have given a drawing of her your  
hairstyle, Bonita. They'd give her the braid, or her old ponytail... why... why wouldn't  
they make it look like her? The eyepatch, the scars..." Ana glanced at Percy, worry  
clear on her face.  
"Why would Bella make it look like you, if it's supposed to freak out Von? That  
doesn't sound right."  
Percy was feeling worse and worse about the situation. He touched his ring to the  
wall again, feeling more comfortable with the familiar color. "We can focus on  
cleaning, I'll talk to bella."  
Salem dropped the peice of glass she was holding. "What do you mean talk to  
Bella?" She turned to Percy. "Have you talked to her? She can't be trusted Percy."  
She grabbed at her hair, none of this seemed right. Belladona wouldn't do this right?  
She knew what this place was. "Look at what she did." She waved her hand around.  
"She wants everyone to despair." She didn't like this one bit but the facts were in  
front of her. Belladona Cox came in destroyed the sanctuary and for some reason  
Aeron had shown up. Thats what happened. The small details of the note didn't  
matter. What mattered was fixing this and getting rid of Belladona.  
"You're still talking to her"? She rounded on him, furious.  
Percy had mentioned before that Belladonna had almost brought him over to her  
side, the way he had suggested it implied that he had cut off ties with her, or at least  
told her to hit the road.  
"Just what have you told her"? She demanded, marching up to him and seizing him  
by the shirt. If he had done anything to endanger the others or help Belladonna so  
help him.  
Mariana dropped the broom and rushed over to Vanessa, grabbing her girlfriend's  
arm and glaring at her in worry.  
"Calm down! Percy wouldn't put anyone in danger, don't act like he would! He's been  
looking out for everyone since he joined, Vanessa!" She glanced at Salem.  
"Let's focus on cleaning up. We can focus on Bella when we hold that meeting," she  
turned her focus back to her girlfriend, "Don't rip us apart over this, that's exactly  
what she wanted attacking here. Use your head."  
Percy felt himself be pushed into the wall before he realized it was happening, the  
angry tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. He was so tired of everyone being  
mad at him for liking Belladonna, and for being the one who always tried to keep  
everyone safe but was always left out. "Let," he lifted a hand and put it around  
Nessa's wrist. "Go of me."  
He kept his gaze steady with Nessa's, his own mouth set. "I didn't tell her anything. I  
didn't do anything. What I fucking meant is that I know she didn't do this, but I need  
to make sure. I need to understand, and none of you have any way to speak to her.  
Just because I don't push her away doesn't mean I'm not loyal to you, and you, and  
you." With each 'you', he looks from Nessa to Salem to Ana, his gaze lingering on  
Ana. "You can't tell me it's not the only logical course of action! We have to do  
something, and picking a fight won't get any answers. So get your hands off me."  
Salem watched Vanessa pin Percy. She didn't feel like it was right to talk to  
Belladona but it needed to be done. She looked over at the exit to see if Von was  
coming in or not. But nothing. She knew her twin would freak out if she saw them like  
this. She just turned around and got back to cleaning. There was one thing Percy  
was wrong about Belladona did do this theres no doubt in her mind.  
Staring the boy down, Vanessa let him go without a word. He had confessed to  
'almost' being convinced to joining Bella's side and she remembered how defensive  
he had gotten when he simply thought she was accusing him of working with her  
when this was all starting. The boy had one more strike to show his true colours  
before they fought for real, she decided. This was an "Us or them" situation and you  
couldn't camp in the middle and hope both sides turned out friends. Not after all of  
this and not with what Bella had in plan.  
"I'm going to check on Von" she said under her breath, voice shaky with either tears  
or rage as she stormed out off the Sanctuary.  
Mariana put her face in her hands, shaking a little from the force of holding in her  
scream of frustration. She's accepted that Percy trusts Belladona, she's accepted  
that she Never Will, but they could ignore that and still get along and work together.  
Why couldn't anyone else just accept things as they were? Why did they always  
have to make things black and white?? Things are never as easy as that...  
"I..." She shook herself, shoved her feelings down into a tight little ball in her chest,  
and went to pick up the broom.  
"I'll finish sweeping up, let me know if there's anything else I need to do." Her voice  
didn't shake, it was perfectly calm, a little chirpy, exactly like she wasn't bothered by  
everything. At least her acting was still working it.  
As soon as Nessa left the room, Percy sank down, crouching on the floor with his  
face in his hands. He couldn't breathe- the confusion, the anger, the wounded pride  
and sting of distrust- he was doing his best, but again and again he was being  
treated like a villain. He hated the fat, hot tears that slipped down his face.  
"Just... give me a minute." He mumbles. If anyone touches him, he can't be held  
accountable for his actions.  
Vondila was still were everyone left her. She was playing with her hair that was now  
lose. It surrounded her much like Salem's hair did just a little longer. The right side of  
her face was stained with tears. She heard the door open but didn't make any move  
to see who it was. "Hey. Need help in there?" Her voice was soft.  
Salem had a nice pile of glass and was continuing to find more glass and dig for grief  
seeds. She didn't say anything to Percy. She felt hurt by him. He hadn't touched her  
but his words stung. What lies had Belladona told him? Who else had been talking to  
Belladona? Vanessa was not in that category thats for sure.  
"I dunno" Vanessa shrugged, coming up to stand near Von.  
"Probably, we're getting no work done" she confessed with a sigh, letting the sea  
breeze ruffle her hair she watched the horizon for a while, trying to calm down.  
Should she tell Von her suspicions? Part of her worried with how things were right  
now that would only make things worse. She toed at a shell in the sand for a while,  
just trying to think of anything else.  
"How're you holding up. In general, I mean"? She finally asked.  
Mariana let out a breath, as she swept up with dust and bits of glass crushed  
underfoot as everyone had walked around the storage room, eyes fixed on the task  
at hand.  
"Let me know if you need help with anything, Bonita, I brought the trash from the  
back in when I got out here."  
Percy was still shaking when he stood up again, feeling for all the world like a child  
having a tantrum. Wasn't he the one who was wronged, there? Why did he feel like  
he was the one in trouble? He found a mop bucket and the mop, filling it up silently  
and feeling worse and worse. He was talking to Bella because she came to him and  
because she was a magi too. He understood her, and he liked her. He didn't care  
that the others didn't like her, he just wished that they'd stop fighting with him about  
it. But... if he mentioned it to Bella, she'd just target Nessa, and he wouldn't do that,  
even through the cloudy thoughts in his head.  
He passed by Ana and Salem quietly, working harder to make up for it.  
Vondila sighed. "I feel like part of my home has been destroyed." She tugged at her  
hair. "I feel like shit. My arm hurts and its not even there! I'm almost always hungry."  
She rubbed her face. "I feel like my dad left me a second time."  
Salem picked up all the glass she collected and started digging through the mess to  
find grief seeds. "Thanks Ana. I'm jusy glad the hot springs and graveyard are okay."  
She admitted hoping things could cool off.  
Vanessa slumped down into the sand next to Von.  
"Yeah, I get it." She sighed before hastily adding "I mean, I don't know exactly how  
you feel, but I empathise with it, you know? That...that sounds really, really stupid."  
She cringed at herself. Picking at her nails she tried to find the right words to say, but  
she was still too heated from her confrontation with Percy to come up with anything.  
Why was talking to people so hard?  
Mariana let out another slow breath, and glanced at Percy, watching him shake as  
he mopped up the poisons and chemicals.  
"Hey, Jefe, if you want to take a break, or do something a little farther away from...  
everyone, I think I didn't get one of the bathrooms?" She wasn't entirely sure- though  
she was kinda bullshitting- but it might help Percy to feel useful if he's given a task,  
and he might need to calm down anyway.  
"If you wanna talk later I'm always here for you, okay?"  
Percy glanced her direction. She'd stood up for him, and she was right. She was  
here for him. He nodded, the motion feeling stiff. He left the mop bucket where it was  
and went to the other bathroom. Worse than he expected, but not as bad as the  
main rooms. Unfortunately, the moment he closes the door, he feels his resolve  
crumble, taking bigger breaths to try and calm down as fresh tears slip down his  
cheeks, as he rights the turned over bottles and soaps and towels.  
Vondila set her hand on Vanessa's shoulder. "I get what you mean Nessa." She  
sighed and raised her head to look up. "I really don't know what to do about this  
though. All my brain can think of is kill Belladona, but thats wrong she hasn't caused  
anyone to turn, yet." She was honest.  
Salem had found three grief seeds. Why hadn't Belladona taken them? Was she  
hoping that they re-hatched and fill the space with witches? All her work wasted in  
one night.  
Vanessa relaxed a little at Vondila's touch. But straightened up at Von's comment.  
"But we cant just wait for her to do so, either" She talked the talk and was all bravado  
back at Christmas, but the idea of actually killing someone, even if they were a threat  
to you or your family, didn't sit right with her.  
"I dunno, Von" She turned to face her superior officer "No matter what, I've got your  
back, okay"?  
Mariana sighed in relief, and finished sweeping to take over mopping up the floor  
where Percy had left it off.  
"Something bothering you, Salem?" Ana kept her tone soft, but she still felt like it  
might have been a hair too clipped. She shook herself, and focused on the floor.  
"Something not adding up?"  
Ana had realized, while everyone argued... Bella could have easily brined a new kid  
into doing this. She just had to wonder... why. What could Bella get out of this, aside  
from the hurt to Von and Salem? There were pieces she didn't have...  
Percy manages to get himself calmed down after a few minutes, but is still sitting on  
the floor in the bathroom with wet cheeks. He pulls out his phone to send Luis and  
Sierra a text, asking them to comfort him after this disaster of a day. He hated this.  
He hated feeling like an extra, like a sidepiece, who was just supposed to do what he  
was told. And where did Vanessa even get off, shoving him? She may have been  
appointed by Von, but he held more cards than she did. It was hard to keep the  
bitterness from rising, and he needed to hit something, or cry, and he needed to do it  
where he wouldn't have to be around the Morsons and Nessa. He cared about the  
Sanctuary and the twins. He cared so much, but every time he didn't fit the cookie  
cutter role, the looks... the distrust and anger burned and ached worse than the scar  
on his nose, than anything else.  
Vondila smiled, it was sad but it was a smile. "I'm glad to hear that Nessa." She  
sighed. "Do you think you could re-braid my hair? I wasn't really thinking when I  
undid it." She gave a forced laugh.  
Salem sighed what was wrong was everything was falling apart. Von had been doing  
so well in the last few days and now she was back to the mess she was after losing  
her arm. "I'm worried about Von." She said softly not wanting anyone but Ana to  
hear. "She's been depressed since she lost her arm but she was getting better." She  
chewed her cheek. "I think this set her back to that day emotionally."  
"Sure--off course" She said, enthusiastically, happy to be of help considering how  
she was more just hovering about back at the Sanctuary.  
"Do you want it lose or tight"? She asked, sitting herself behind Von.  
Mariana bit her lip, hard.  
That... hadn't been what she thought they'd talk about. Ana hadn't... thought about  
what to do, if Von was struggling. Could she... help at all? She felt out of her depth  
just thinking about it. But... the least she can do is try.  
"Do you think talking about... stuff, would help her? Has she talked about that with  
anyone who was actually there?" Ana dunked the mop into the bucket with little  
thought, trying to keep her focus on her words.  
"Would reaching out like that help? Or do we need to do something else?"  
Percy put his phone away and worked on picking things up better, straightening  
towels and tightening caps, re-rolling a roll of toilet paper. By the end, it's neat again,  
but he's still not ready to go back out. He leaned back against the wall, breathing and  
taking another minute for himself. He has mostly calmed down when he noticed  
something almost hidden underneath the trashcan... Percy pulls it out. A black  
choker with a blue diamond on it. Theoretically, he could waltz back out there with  
the 'proof' of the blue magi's involvement. Instead, he stuffs it into his pocket, feeling  
even angrier. He was right, but they wouldn't listen, just because they didn't want to  
hear it. For the first time, he understands the urge to leave cryptic messages around  
and attempt to make magi despair. He wasn't Bella, but the anger wasn't going away  
fast enough for his brain to stop considering it.  
Vondila turned so Vanessa could get better access to her hair. "Lose at the top tight  
at the bottom." She explained. "And I have a hair tie." She lifted her arm to show her  
soul gem.  
Salem sighed looking at the floor. "She's joked about it but she hasn't talked about it.  
Maybe that would help her." She closed the case having found all the grief seeds  
she had. "She feels weak. Theres so much she can't do anymore." She chewed on  
lip and started picking up larger broken things. "I've been modifying all her clothes so  
she can dress herself." She hated that her twin was so down she didn't know what to  
do anymore. This was trauma that she couldn't process.  
"Roger that" She began, gently separating her hair into sections, using her nails as  
an impromptu comb to separate curls, she tried her best not to yank at it. Percy and  
Belladonna was still on her mind, after everything she was trying to do he was still  
talking to her? Did he think he could reason with her? She let out a long low breath  
as she began braiding Vondila's hair.  
Mariana nodded.  
"I should talk to her anyway... maybe I should, do you think that'd make her feel  
better? To have someone reach out?" Ana chewed her lip, still distractedly mopping  
up the spilled chemicals.  
Percy spends a few more minutes washing his face and calming down before he  
leaves the bathroom, checking the room where Ana and Salem aren't so he can get  
back to cleaning it up. He's feeling a little better, but not enough that he thinks he can  
handle another tense conversation with Nessa.  
Vondila let her mind rest for the first time that day. The soft fingers of Vanessa  
running through her hair was soothing. What was that thing Salem's therapist said?  
Take one day at a time. She used to do that and look at were it got her. She looked  
to a future were she didn't have to deal with this anymore. When it comes it will be  
great.  
Salem nodded. "Yeah that would be great Ana. Thank you." She made note that they  
would need more tables and chairs. Not only that but bean bags, a tv, the video  
game systems. The list didn't seem to end. She was so glad she didn't need to worry  
about money, cause this would strain everything more then it has.  
"The weather's picking up" Vanessa noted, wincing at picking the weather of all  
things to talk about.  
"Might be able to have a Barbeque on the beach, a grand re-opening of the  
Sanctuary" she added, trying not to sound like an absolute idiot.  
Mariana finishes up the floor with another gusty sigh, and dunks the mop back into  
the bucket.  
"Anytime, Bontitititititita." Ana tried the cutesy name, though it felt kind of out of place  
with how somber she felt.  
"Percy's been taking a while, should I check on him?"  
Percy switched to sorting things- broken and soiled vs useful. He quickly had two  
piles, but one was much larger than the other. Whoever did this... They weren't smart  
about it. They broke everything. Why would Bella have done that?  
Vondila smiled at the idea. "That would be nice a way to celebrate something good  
during all this garbage." A barbeque would be great. Salem could rent the BBQ or  
they could just make a pit fire and put a grill over top. Have games and music, if it  
was warm enough swimming could be a thing. Could she swim? She could kick no  
problem but you needed your arms as well. Maybe she only needed one for it? What  
ever the case it was a good idea.  
Salem looked to were Percy had gone. "Yeah maybe go check on him." She felt  
guilty for yelling at him but how could she not. He was defending the person that  
caused this mess. The person that didn't take no for an answer. The person that hurt  
her sister so many times. How could he do that? What lies was Belladona telling  
everyone?  
"We could have three-legged races and sand castle competitions" she offered,  
thinking of things that didn't necessarily require two-hands like volleyball or water  
polo.  
"Heck, if we can't get fireworks you, me and Ophie can just let lose with magic" she  
chuckled, glad for the lighter mood. Her thoughts still lingered on the Sanctuary and  
the blue light. If that meant Belladonna had an ally, did that mean they couldn't trust  
anyone new?  
Mariana nodded, and stepped into the hallway to see where he might have went. He  
wasn't back there, from the look of things, but the store room seemed to be open, so  
she poked her head in. Even after everything, she couldn't help her grimace at the  
mess, even with Percy picking up a good chunk of it.  
"You okay, Hermano?"  
Percy glanced over at Ana, one hand holding a broken container of healing balm, the  
other holding an empty cardboard box. "Okay? I... want to be. But it hurts, I'm  
honest. I want to understand, but... why should it be such a bad thing, to try and  
figure out what actually happened? You saw it too, didn't you?"  
Vondila hummed in agreement. "That would be great. Magic will be easier then  
fireworks though. Fireworks draw the police here and how do we explain anything?"  
She kinda gestured at the door.  
Salem continued to clean, maybe Von getting the others to come was a bad idea.  
She could just focus on fixing everything then tell them. But what if someone showed  
up? That wouldn't be good. She was tired of all this. Belladona was trying to tire out  
the magi but she was mostly tiring out Salem.  
Finishing off the braid, Vanessa reached out for Von's scrunchie to tie it off.  
"You feel ready to come on in? They could do with your muscles" She asked, she  
had cooled off, she could talk to Percy now. Probably. If the other's kept their cool  
too. Maybe.  
Mariana nodded.  
"It's not fair for them to be mad at you for wanting to get to the bottom of this. This  
doesn't make sense as something Bella did, even if I don't doubt it was her idea."  
Ana glanced at the door, and leaned in a little closer.  
"I'll keep an eye out for the blue newbie, did you want to be the one who talks to  
them?"  
Percy nodded to Ana. "You keep Nessa off this? If she tries to do it, or get in my face  
again, I won't be able to keep my cool." He offers her the box when it's empty.  
"Thank you."  
Vondila sighed she didn't want to go in mostly she didn't want to be in Salem's way  
but she also wanted to make sure her sister was okay. She stood up. "Yeah." She  
walked into the sanctuary. The only thing that looked somewhat normal was the  
broken tv. "You haven't had to buy a new tv in a few years?" She tried to joke and  
walked closer to the tv took look at the note. She didn't want to but needed to. "Ana,  
Sierra or Percy and Ophelia or chara are missing." She mused aloud.  
Salem looked up at her twin and looked at the tv with the comment. "Yeah, thinking  
of getting a 75 inch smart tv." She replied she didn't want her twin to see the note.  
"So?"  
"I know it's pretty much the least important thing, but how come the sanctuary's  
mood lighting changes colour to whoever touches it"? The blue light from earlier,  
whoever this new Magi was either witnessed Bella doing all this or helped her.  
Mariana heard them come back inside, and smiled as she took the box from Percy.  
"Speak of the devil, huh, Hermano? I'll talk to Ness and Von, first, you figure out what  
you wanna say to Newbie. And don't be too abrasive, they could have been  
blackmailed. I know you like her but Bella hasn't shown much compassion for your  
normal person, you know. I wouldn't put it past her." Ana steps back into the main  
room, and grins at Vanessa and Von's entrance.  
"Hey! Adelita! Von!! Nice of you to join us!" She raised her eyebrows at Nessa's  
question, frowning.  
"Salem said it was because of our soul gems, Adelitita, does it need to be anything  
more?"  
Percy didn't respond to Ana, merely offering her a weary smile. He could handle a  
calm response. He tended to be abrasive, but he wasn't incapable. He did sigh and  
go back to cleaning. Just because Nessa couldnt keep herself on task didn't mean  
he would stop and mess around. He'd already wasted enough time crying.  
Vondila nodded and tapped the strip. "Ya our magic just reacts." She explained.  
"Why? No idea." She looked at Ana and Percy. "Yeah sorry. I don't think I'm that  
useful." She waved he one arm.  
Salem sighed. "Can we clean please and figure this all out later?" She stopped. "The  
last five years of my life has been destroyed." She was pissed about this all and  
fighting with each other.  
Vanessa wondered, albeit briefly if the colouring was a type of...allegiance, like some  
game of capture the flag. Although even with Percy's loyalties being in question, the  
place responding to Ana's proved that it wasn't like it actually affected anything, but  
was a weird addition of the room regardless.  
"Don't sweat it, I'm sure there's something you can help with" She smiled  
reassuringly at Vondila before glancing at Percy. It would be easier if she just  
apologised to him and moved on but she wasn't wrong, he knew what Belladonna  
was planning and he was still acting like she was the victim. Clicking her tongue she  
turned to Salem instead;  
"Anywhere you want us"?  
"Sorry, Bonita." Ana had no real reason to apologize- she'd tried to keep them from  
fighting as soon as it broke out, and if she'd been able to she'd have given Percy  
some signal to keep his mouth shut about Bella at all. After a certain point, harping  
on the inconsistencies with the note and the destruction and Bella's own MO was just  
going to be poking Salem where it hurt, and that wasn't fair to her or them. She  
glanced at Von.  
"The back's all clean, Percy and I fixed up the bathrooms and the Hot Springs  
weren't touched. I've mopped up the chemicals and swept up as much of the fallen  
grief seed dust as I could get, earlier. I think we just need to separate the destroyed  
stock from what's salvageable, and clean up the glass." Ana stood a little straighter.  
"I know it doesn't feel like you're much help, but... I'd really love to have someone  
who knows this place to tell me what needs fixing and what doesn't, I haven't spent  
as much time here as I thought... I feel like I don't know anything."  
Percy nodded to Salem and headed to grab a few trash bags to put the trash into,  
still intent on picking up the bigger stuff that he'd initially left alone. He doesn't say  
anything to Nessa, still hurt by how she'd acted before. Everything that had felt so  
certain before now felt up in the air- and for what, the fact that he wasn't so  
sheep-minded as to believe that it was Bella who did this, for him being willing to  
speak to her? Part of him wants to see her, but the rest of him just wants to flop onto  
a pile with Sierra and Luis and cry it out. It was russian roulette to see which was  
which, honestly.  
Vondila looked at Salem and then to the others. "Okay." She took a deep breath she  
could do this. She was the leader after all. "So lets get all the broken furniture out. It  
has to go anyways so we should get it out of here. Anything thats still usable can be  
put in the hall to the bathrooms and hot spring." She explained, they needed to not  
jump around as much it would take longer then. "Vanessa can you focus on glass  
collection? Well Ana and Percy can work on furniture. Salem has all the grief seeds  
that are intact been found so far?" When her sister responded she continued. "Okay  
keep eyes out on those, they could be dust but we wont know till everything is  
cleaned up. And Salem look for anything thats dangerous like the bombs or cracked  
poison viles." She looked down at her hand and squeezed a fist. "If anyone needs an  
extra hand just say so."  
Salem was watching her twin she was so worried. When Von looked at her she knew  
that her sister needed to take over so she nodded. This might be Salem's space but  
Von couldn't do much anymore so she'll give her control. She liked were her sister  
was going with her plan. She wasn't sure how many grief seeds could be missing  
still. She accounted for those she missed were dust now but Von was right. "There  
might be some more, I'm not sure." She wanted so badly to hug Vondila and forget  
this but they needed to work now. "Right." She said once Vondila was done talking.  
Vanessa mouthed a 'thank you' to her girlfriend, both grateful and amazed that her  
suggestion of just how Vondila could help worked as she headed on over to where  
the bin was by the counter, pulling the bag out the actual container would be a good  
place to store the plastic, since the bags'll only get ripped. She glanced at Salem  
then at Percy, did anything else happen when she was gone?  
Mariana nodded at Vanessa, and breezed by to begin dragging the broken chairs out  
of the room. As she passes by Percy, she leans in to whisper.  
"If any of them give you shit, I'll fight them." She only just got to the point where she  
can say, with full certainty, that she and him are on good terms. She's not letting this  
ruin that.  
Percy nudged her shoulder with his own, relieved at the support. He still didn't feel  
up to talking, though, so he kept working, passing broken things to Ana or disposing  
of them himself, avoiding eye contact with Nessa at all costs.  
Vondila felt a bit more useful now. They needed to work together and if that meant  
she was calling the shots then so be it. At least she was being productive unlike  
before were she sat outside and cried. She still wanted to cry but that would be later.  
Salem grabbed an empty box and started digging for bombs and any none spilled  
poison vile. She was proud of her twin but she also knew that to night would be hard.  
She would get their favorite take out. Curl up on the couch and watch some movies  
or TV. And then crawl into the same bed so they didn't have to be alone. It was a  
good plan. Then tomorrow they could go furniture shopping and pick out some new  
stuff. It would take the twins a week or two to get things back to normal but it would  
be back to normal.  
Rumaging through the cleaning supplied for a dustpan, Vanessa began sweeping  
the glass up, between moving the fragments to the bin, she was taking in the extent  
of the Sanctuary's destruction. The building itself was still sound, which she guessed  
was the point of the entire place, it was only the furniture that was gone. That and  
how many years of investment and memories the Morson's had put into it. She let  
out a tired sigh.  
Mariana paused at the tables. Aside from one being tipped on its side... they seemed  
fine. She glanced at Von.  
"Do you want to replace these anyway, or keep them? They don't look broken to  
me?"  
Percy took a second to right the table in question, heading behind the counter to  
wash his hands before he went back to picking things up. He didn't think he had  
anything worthwhile to add.  
Vondila walked over and looked at the tables. "We'll keep them for now, lets put  
them in the hallway." She picked up the table by the leg and started walking over to  
the hallway.  
Salem had found most of the bombs she had made and was looking for any thing  
else that needed to be destroyed.  
With the glass cleared away, Vanessa shifted the bin over with the bags of rubbish,  
how were they going to dispose of all this? Carry it themselves to a junkyard? She  
felt stupid for not really knowing what to do to help, she had a maid who would come  
in once a week and honestly she had no idea where to start left to her own devices,  
she really was useless.  
Mariana nodded, and began grabbing the overfull bags of trash.  
"Want me to walk these to the nearest dumpster?" She asked Salem, pulling one  
onto her back and lifting another with her free hand.  
Percy grabbed the shredded husks of the beanbags and the final broken pair of  
boxes that he'd sorted through, glancing between Ana and Salem. "I'll walk there  
with you."  
Vondila sat the table down. She looked at them and nodded.  
Salem grabbed a bag and started to make her way out. "There's a dumpster not far  
from here." She explained and started to walk out of the sanctuary.  
Vanessa waited for the trio to leave before looking over at Vondila;  
"Uh, is there anything else I can do? I don't really know my way around the bombs  
and junk" She asked uncertainly. Another opportunity to tell Von about Percy and  
Bella, would it be the right thing to do? Considering everything she's already been  
through it could only make things worse.  
Mariana gives Vanessa a look as she leaves, puts her second bag down and makes  
a cutting motion across her neck. If Vanessa was going to try and turn Von against  
Percy, Ana was going to lose her shit. She turned on her heel, picking up the bag  
again, and stalked out without a second glance. She was going to walk Percy home,  
tonight. Maybe she'll ask for another sleepover.  
Percy missed the motion completely, already hovering at the door to make sure  
Salem was coming and that they hadn't missed anything for her to trip over.  
Vondila looked around. "Help take the tv down?" She walked over to it and pulled the  
note off and looked at it for a moment.  
Salem waited for the others. "Okay so the bin is over there." She pointed with her  
figure over to were the road was. "Its not that far but its not easy with the sand." She  
started walking in the direction to the bin.  
"Sure thing" she replied. Ana's gesture wasn't lost on her and Nessa kept her mouth  
shut as she headed on over to the TV, checking the back to see how it was secured  
on, it seemed like the TV itself had hooks on the back slotted into it's bracer on the  
wall. Holding it securely, Vanessa hefted upwards and unhooked the set, staggering  
just a little with the size and the shifting glass of the screen she managed to set it  
down fine enough.  
Mariana bumped hips with Percy as she stepped up next to him.  
"How do you feel about walking home together, Hermano? I wanna make sure you  
get there safe." She grinned, and nodded at Salem's instructions.  
"Right!"  
Percy had followed Salem a few paces behind, feeling a bit lighter at Ana's words.  
"Are you sure that's okay? For you as much as me?" He looked at her. He didn't  
want to push, or put her between him and Nessa... but he did need it.  
Vondila watched how easily Nessa took the TV off the wall. "Thanks for helping. It  
means a lot." She smiled at Nessa.  
Salem walked up to the bin and dropped her bags in and started heading back. She  
needed to do inventory again now.  
"Happy to help" She beamed, moving it over to the rest of the trash.  
"You know I'm getting rid of a lot of my Nanni's stuff if you want any of it"? She joked,  
trying to keep things easy.  
"Of course I want to, Percititititititititititititito. I want to make sure you're okay, and... I  
need a break from..." she trailed off, watching Salem head back into the Sanctuary.  
"How tense everything is. This isn't just about the problems the Morsons have with  
Bella, or Ness and I. Everyone is upset and isn't listening to anyone."  
He nodded. "I've... I have been listening to you, right? I didn't ignore you? I was  
trying to keep my head on and actually get everything done."  
Vondila thought for a moment and looked around. "Send me a text with what you  
have later and Salem and I can figure things out."  
Salem walked back into the Sanctuary and smiled. "Ah you got the TV down great!"  
"It's mostly little things at this point, mainly decorative but you never know" she  
added, wiping her hands on her jeans.  
"We'll rebuild this place, she hasnt won" She assured Vondila.  
"You haven't ignored me, hermano. You've been doing really well." She kissed his  
cheek.  
"I do want you to understand some stuff, but we can talk about that when we head to  
your place."  
Percy nodded, finally dumping his trash off. "Thank you, Anitita. I needed that." He  
shivers after he finishes saying that. "Is it just me or is the sanctuary always chilly? I  
worked up a sweat getting there, but I left my hoodie in the sand. Kinda regret it."  
Vondila nodded. "What ever it is we'll figure things out." She was trying but more and  
more she just wanted to sleep. God was she tired.  
"Some new decorations would be nice." Salem gave her twin a hug and waited for  
her to hug back. "We'll fix everything don't worry V."  
Vanessa smiled seeing Von and Salem together and thought of Ana, she really was  
a rock during all of this.  
"It is kinda cold, isn't it? I never really notice... I always wear my warmest hoodies out  
here." She shucks her hoodie off and shoves it into his arms.  
She buys them oversized so she can have sweaterpaws when she's feeling a  
Particular Kind Of Way™ , and hopes it's big enough for him.  
"Here."  
Percy couldn't help the smile, pulling it over his own head and letting the warmth  
flood over him. In response, he wraps his arms around Ana and drags her in for a  
hug. "Thank you."  
Vondila hugged her twin back as best she could and let more tears fall. She buried  
her head into her twin's hair and tried to forget for as long as she could.  
Salem felt Von try and get closer so she pulled her in more and rested her head on  
the others. She started rubbing small circles on her twin's back to calm the other.  
Vanessa stiffened at Von crying, she really didn't want to go outside and deal with  
Percy, but she couldn't like, join the hug right? This was totally an actual family  
moment, right. Instead she busied herself with tidying and straightening what was left  
of the Sanctuary, trying to look like she knew what she was doing.


End file.
